The Outsiders
by pyro.grizzly.bear
Summary: Maxine is part of a group of animals called the outsiders.Theyve been brought up to hate the zodiac animals.Max decides to move to japan with her family and ends up in the same highschool as the Sohmas.they dont know the sohmas are the zodiac animals.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey this was my first finnished story of fruits basket and I hope you guys like it. Im not sure how well it is but whatever. And as for updating-it all depends on if I have time because I have a lot to do this summer between band, Summer school, finding a new house and a bunch of other stuff you probably dont care about. any ways heres the story**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my OCs**

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We all know the story of the sohmas, but we don't know the outsiders, the ones that banded together when not invited to the banquet. then they alienated the others because they hand't even heard of it until after the some felt it was no big deal, and that's why the outsider's animals fought a lot, however no animal couls resist the dragon's command but the head of the Sohmas.

The families soon learned to hate eachother and so all lost contact. Soon no one had heard of the other, only in stories past down. And so was the hate for eachother. But those who didn't pittied the cat of the Zodiac, the one who was tricked by the rat. Most were the cousins of the cat, the lion and the cheetah. But hated that he was still invited. Only the dragon counted the cat as an outsider.

then there the wolf. Cousin of the dog. Each generation of the wolf felt the betrayel of the older dog. A wolf is only born after a dog, sot he legends say. the dog and wolf were so much alike that they could pass as eachother, the young wolf looked up to the dog. The dog however didn't give a second's glance to it's cousin.

And the guinea pig didn't mind that the rat tricked the cat. It knew that it would have done the same. So the felines hated the guinea pig as well.

That's baisicly hot it was for the next 100s of years. Until the 21st generation. They are an odd bunch and most never believed the zodiac stories they heard dispite that they turned into animals themselves.

The wolf, Maxine, was an animal loving girl that did horse jumping compitions. She decided that her sophmore year she'd move to the main house. her brothers and best friends already lived there and the thought of not going to an all girls school was very appealing.

That's how she made it into Japan with her horse, Lightning's Fire, They owned a big pasture with other horses just outside of town, this is why her brothers would be driving her to school. But her Japanese was a bit rusty, her family spoke english most of the time.

"Max, hurry up or we're going to be late!" A boy with sandy brown hair yelled from down the stairs.

The house was a huge one, but different apartments toobecause trusted people with the secret lived here as well. Max lived in the same apartment as her brothers and best friend, Sammy. In fact they shared a room together. John and his daughter, Taylor, lived in this one too.

"I'm comming!" she growled back. She had momentarily pulled back her long blue black hair. Her side bangs still covered the left side of her face.

Of course it was there for more than just because she likes it. She had a long scar from abouve her left eye around, and half way down her cheek. She had disobeyed Kiro when she was little. She had fought back. The outsiders could transform at will to their second forms,and thats just what she transformed into a young wolf, smaller than her already small wolf form. She was only 10, so just a puppy. but her teethwere still dangerous as well as claws. Still it was no match for the dragon. he may have only been 13 at the time, but had the wise leadership of the past dragons. He transformed to a silvery blue dragon with a white,blue-green mane. His horns were a bit shorter than an adult's but still sharp. They were silver colored. And each dragon can be a different color, his colors happened to be silver ones.

Anyways the only way to punish the animals was to follow the animal hiearchy way and fight. With a swipe of his paw his underdeveloped claw scarred her. It left a long thing scar while the other two parts had long healed by now the deepest remained. Since then she still questioned authority, but knew her place. And though he'd never say, Kiro actually had a soft spot for her, and hated to hurt her, but a leader does what they have to.

"finaly!" James growled dragging his younger sister to the small green car.

"Hey Maxy!" A golden brown haired girl exclaimed. The girl had blue eyes and freckles.

"Hey Sam." Max sighed pulling the dark blue schrunchy from her hair. Her hair was about half way to her waist.

"Ready for school?"

"Want an honest answer?"

"Nope."

"Oh yes, I can hardly wait!" Max said pretending to jump up and down in the backseat. "So is Emma comming?"

"No. she wanted to be home schooled again this year."

"Party pooper." Max said flatly.

"I know we need our trickster friend!" Sammy said.

"Hey! One tricksters enough." James said with a glare to Hayden. "Besides, it's bad enough with a coyote and wolf in the same car." The wolf and coyote as well as the fox often made huge pranks together ."If Emma went to school too, we'd ALL be doomed."

"I think I'd be fun!" Max said innocently. Hayden laughed.

"Good point James." Sammy agreed.

"You know," Max began after a moment of silence," It's kind of funny how a coyote and lion are twins. And the human forms are complete oppisties."

"Your right something went wrong." Sammy laughed.

It was true though. James and hayden were twins, but hayden had light brown hair to go with his light brown coyote fur. But James had dark hair that went with his black lion mane.

"We're here!" James anounced before max could continue.

"Oh, joy!" Max's sarcasm was clear. "Bad enough I have to wear a friggin' skirt."

"Max, it's just a skirt. And it's floor lenth, if anything you should be worrying about tripping and falling." Sammy sighed as they walked to first period.

"I hate skirts...and I always have to worry about it so it doesn't matter." She growled, clearly irritated.

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**Sorry for it's shortness, but i couldnt find where chapter 2 started cause it suddenly jumped to chaptwer three so I picked a random spot. Plus If there are ANY spelling error im sorry but I'm in a rush.**

**Oh yeah! and since i wrote this like last year im quiet confuse miself for putting anouther dragon in that one when theres already one in the zodiac. So...just go along with and i dont know pretend when I type dragon its gigantic platypus or somthing...either way just go with it lol.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry it took a while to update. Like I've said dozens of times before I can't get on all the time. And this weekend I'm going out of town. And also to my stupidity i thought I lost my story... Oh! and thank you to MelloDeathNoteLover for the review!**

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As they walked max started to get this weird sense. She'd never felt it unless near the head of her family. **{lol this was where chapter two started. Apperently I can't see my own handwritting now. XD}**

"Sammy, you sense that?"

"Sense what? Sense the need to run away?"

"Oh, that's funny, I'm feeling the wolf say grr right now, like when I fight the rules." Max said making them both laugh.

"You just have athority issues don't you?"

"Yup!" She said proudly. But just seconds later she felt the feeling grow stronger.

"Yeah...I think I'm going to hightail it out of here..."

The cheetah went to run, but max grabbed her light blue messenger bag. It looked like her own black one, except with grey lining. As she drug her cousin to a stop She noticed a guy about eighteen or nineteen with black. He was talking to a brown haired girl and a grey haired boy both about seventeen.

"Hey...that's Prince Yuki." Sammy mumbled.

"Who?"

"Yuki Sohma, everyone calls him Prince Yuki. And his cousin, Kyo, goes here too."

"But who's he?" She said with a glare. She wasn't one to point but Sammy knew who she was talking about. For some reason Max really disliked him.

"I don't know, but Yuki obviously knows him."

"Grr...my wolf ears can't pick up what he's saying..."

"OK! Enough eavesdropping, school will start any second!"

"But it's not eavesdropping if I couldn't hear them..." Max complained.

Sammy gave an exasperated sigh and dragged max off to class. Max couldn't help but keep glancing back at the three wishing she knew what was going on over there. In her wondering her hand absent mindedly went to fiddle with the stone carved wolf necklace. Each Outsider had their own necklace and was handed down each generation. It was believed to give them special powers. no one had proved it true so they figured it was just another myth.

By lunch Max had heard all the things of Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru. It was all rather annoying, especialy with the fan club threatening her. Of course being her self and loving to annoy people, she purposefully went out of her was to piss them off. First she'd have to find a way to do that, but she had to play innocent first. She met two boys at lunch too, Haru and Momiji. Momiji knew Sammy, they had math together but they never hung out. Until today!

"So why are we here?" Sam asked.

"Because there's nothin' better to do. It's fun here." Max laughed as Momiji bothered the crap out of the kid named Kyo.

"But the Yuki fan club is going to literally kill us!" Something twinkled in Max's eyes as Sam spoke.

"Great, now I've done it."

"Done what?" A black and white haired boy asked. It was Haru.

"Yuki's fan club probably threatened her and she has issues with listening to people. She takes after her brother and loves to annoy people." Sammy sighed.

"This should to be interesting." He chuckled.

Even though Max it really a shy girl, she'd never pass up an opportunity like this. And she knew how to push people buttons as well so this just made it even better. And when she sets her mind to something, she stick with it. that's the stubborn side of max for you.

She walked right up to Yuki and Tohru and sat right in between them. Rude, yes, but she knew the fan club was watching, they'd been watching her all day so wy stop now? Besides that he instincts said so and she always followed them.

"Hello peoples!" She said loudly.

"Um...not to be rude or anything, ut who are you?" Tohru asked.

"Max Aultman."

"Hey, are you related to Hayden Aultman?" Momiji asked.

"yup. Why?"

"He's known for his pranks." Haru answered.

"She's his sister and almost just like him. If you knew what happened earlier you'd know why she Max isn't the quiet person you saw a minute ago.." Sammy said with a disappointed look at Max but her eyes were laughing. Max turned a steely glare to Sammy, but she was immune to them. As was the head of the house. Everyone else seemed to fidget a bit.

"So, whatcha' doin'?" max said in a cute little voice as she looked up at Yuki with one a look of what one of those love struck girls would make. Sammy almost burst out laughing at the sight of her cousin.

Yuki and Tohru looked at each other with shocked faces while Kyo was back hurting Momiji for something. And then Max continued rambling until her senses said the fan girls were gone. Oh how she wished she could have seen their faces! With a sudden switch of personality she went quiet with a smik on her face.

"Maxine Lee Anne!" Sam scolded. "What ever they do to you, don't come crying to me."

"They started it! AND had it coming!" She said while getting up and sitting by Sammy.

"They?" kyo asked.

"Yuki's fan girls threatened her and Sam says she has authority issues." Haru bluntly said. Suddenly Kyo understood why Max looked the way she did. So did Yuki and Tohru just looked oblivious as always.

"Good one Max!" Uo complimented.

"Thanks, but I'm sure my brother probably could have found a better way for me to piss them off." She smiled. "And as much as i hate to admit it, Sam's right. I my find myself magically locked in a closet or worse tomorrow. Yup...I'm hanign 'round James tomorrow!"

They looked confused for a moment before Sammy spoke up," She may be a prankster, but she'd not violent."

"Nope! just a cowgirl from America!"

"That explains a lot." Haru exclaimed. "Your Japanese is a little bad."

"Yeah...I'm from California, but I've spent most my life in the southern states of America. Unlike my brothers I was born in Arkansas. An two years ago my brothers wanted to move back here, I had my horse to worry about. Not like you could take a barely tame horse onto a plane or boat. I'd hate to trauma- Oh, my gosh! Sammy! Lightnings coming tomorrow!"

"And she also has ADHD." Sammy put in.

Max glared. "Anyways I came here because I'm part Japanese, my grandpa was American, and the thought of not going to an all girls school was very appealing."

"Poor Maxy." Sammy said patting her head.

"I'm going to bite you if yo ever do that again." Max growled. So Sammy poked her in her side and she squeaked. Someone once said she sounded like a puppy being stepped on or somthin' like. "I'll defiantly bite you if you do that again."

So Kyo thought it'd be funny to poke her. Max visibly twitched. When he poked her again she went to bite an her teeth made a snap as she bit into air.

"Hey!" He yelled in shock at nearly being bit by her.

"I said I'd bite!"

"I didn't think you were serious!" OK in all honesty, she wouldn't. All bark and no bite, but he doesn't know that...

Suddenly Max burst into a giggles. "Dude! you should have seen your face!"

And then lunch was over at the sound of the bell.


	3. Chapter 3

**Im back! And I have a lil' nephew now! As of July 5 at 8:00 exactly! My sisters proud to say he was born during the 3 Pirates of the Caribbean movie,her favorite movies lol. And hes sooo cute! **

**Hope everyone had a great fourth of July!**

**I'll let you in on a bit of mine, a funny thing that had happened. My dad, brother-in-law and I were out on a coffee run and on the way back I tripped up concrete steps to the hospital. Now keep in mine I've two drinks in my hand, one in each, and a paper back with a sandwich in it in one hand. Amazingly enough I fell on my knees, got up and continued on like nothing had happened. The drinks DIDN'T spill and my sandwich was still safe in my hand. My dad and brother in law were laughing and probably anyone else driving by-heck even I was! Goes to show stairs are EVIL! lol**

**and of course my answer to you review MelloDeathNoteLover :D = I'm born under the year of the rooster. Ironicaly enough so is my little brother. It's a good thing I'm not in the Fruits basket cause I'm afraid of heights-what kind of bird is like that! lol, although it's make an interesting character...like a cat that hates heights, lactose intolerant, and hates fish. lol**

**Ok, enough of my randomness, here's the story!**

**Disclaimer:I own only my OCs**

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"Oh joy Junior math." Max said with a frown.

"You have that too?"

"Cool..." Max had a twinkle in her eye. The mischief kind.

"Uh-oh Kyo, she's up to something again." Sammy warned.

By then Max had already announced she'd race Kyo to class. He was about to protest but she darted inside with his backpack, leaving him with no other choice but to chase after her.

"This is going to be an interesting year..." Tohru said as they watched Kyo yell after Max. Sammy nodded an agreement.

"Oh yeah! I know I just met you guys and all, but Max's birthday is comming up. Want to help me plan?" Sammy only asked because Max seemed to like them and she trusted her judgement.

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The next morning Max hid behind anyone she could. With good reason too as almost every girl in the school had it out for her. Well... it was all going great until one insulted her at lunch. Yuki had stayed inside with Tohru for something and Hana was with them.

"You! You slut!" the lead girl yelled.

"Still hiding from us? Figures as much." Another added.

"Oh no..." Sammy sighed as they began ranting off more insults that wouldn't be good to repeat.

"What did you call me?" Max said darkly with a glare. unknown to everyone her wolf side comes out when angry and at that piont it doesn't matter if she'd violent or not. If it got any worse Sammy would have to drag her off before she transformed.

"You heard me!" She yelled again. And again rambled off with curses and anything else she could think off. Max had had enouh, especialy when Sammy tried to stand up for her only to be cussed out. Nobody messes with her family.

"Say what you want to me, but don't you DARE cuss out my cousin again!" She growled and the usually non-violent girls punched her in the cheek.

"Max, calm down." Sammy warned as the girls ran away screaming. Everyone else stood around shocked.

"Hey...What...happened?" Tohru asked as she stood wide-eyed. Yuki looked the same way, Hana just eyed her curiously.

"I'm going to class." Max said through clenched teeth. She grabbed her bad and ran the opposite direction of her class. Smart huh?

She never made it. In the middle of the hallway she transformed into a black-blue wolf with rather big paws. She still wasn't fully grown yet. Hurriedly she gathered her things in her mouth and took off to the bushes. When she got there she panted and lay there exhausted. It was hard to run like a wolf, after all this was the first in a while that she just poofed into a wolf.

"Now what..." She growled to herself.

"Max?" A familiar soft voice asked. It was Wesley, the owl. He had silvery white hair and piercing yellow topaz eyes. Max whined a bit at hearing his voice, her ears were pinned down.

"Kiro thought somthing like this would happen. You need to learn to control your emotions more. Your the only one this happens to."

"I'm the one with anger issues!" She snapped.

"C'mon Max, let's get you home." Wesley sighed. "Kiro wants to see you too. You know, he hasn't seen you since...well..." He began to trail off there, but it was clear what he was talking about.

"There was a reason for that." She growled moodily.

Max hadn't seen him since she was ten. The day he put her in her place. That was the last she ever visited the main house, well until now. Although she had been here for about three or four days, she'd yet to make it over there. Max had hoped she wouldn't have to, but it was stupid to think that.

"I'm sure it can't be any worse then this crappy place." She growled once more. She was just one irritated person, even more so when she poofed back with no cloths. Although as the neared hom, she began hinking maybe school was the better place to be.

Wesley dropped her off at the house she lived at and told her to go straight to the library when she was out of her school cloths. Of course she got lost. It was a big house that Kiro lived in, being the main building amongst all the others. It was also rather maze like, well to her anyways.

"Grr...he's going to think I was ditching him. Great, that's all I need, somthing else to get in trouble for." Max growled getting furious.

Someone around the corner laughed. When she emerged Max saw a girl with long red brown hair with white tips and green eyes. It was Emma that fox, also known as one of Max's best friends.

"Max, is that you?" She asked with another laugh.

"Emma! Oh, my gosh I missed you!" Max said loudly and attacked the girl in a hug. Emma didn't mind, she was used to it.

"You got lost again didn't you?"

"Psh, no!" Emma gave her a 'yeah right' look.

"Ok, Ok, I did...Can you take me to Kiro? He wants to talk to me..."

The both winced but Emma nodded and lead the way down that hall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Well what do you know, another update in one day! This is cool lol**

**Sadly no Sohmas are in this chapter but defiantly in the next one, trust me i just read ahead. I'm also noticing how bad it was so bear with me as I'm editing as I go and adding things to make it sound just a bit better lol. After all it is like a year old XD**

**disclaimer:I own all my OC's **

**{Do we have to put that on every chapter? seems to me it's pretty obvious I don't own it...}**

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It wasn't long before Max was saying bye to Emma. She walked into the library to see someone around the age of nineteen sitting at a chair and a book in his lap. He had white hair that fell to slightly cover silvery blue green eyes. He was gazing outside with a somber look and head resting on the palm of his hand.

Max remembered him from when she was little. They were friends but not as close as she, Emma and Sammy were. Then that day happened, she couldn't remember what it was that she did, just that she disobeyed his orders. Or really she resisted them, and like any animal hierarchy he put her in his place. Afterwards she went to her mom's house, never to come back. Now she wished she stayed back in America.

"Kiro?" She mumbled, "Sorry I'm late, I um got lost..." As she said this she blushed in her embarrassment.

Kiro chuckled, "Classic Max. I heard from Wes that you didn't have such a good day at school."

"Yeah..." Max said flatly. Course Wes would tell him, everyone told Kiro everything.

"What happened?"

"Some girls pissed me off and then insulted Sammy." Max said with a steely look with her chin unconsciously raised in defiance.

"Just wondering, can't I be nice?"

"I don't know, can you?" She said sarcastically while eyeing him suspiciously.

"Max, you of all people should know that just because I'm head of the house, doesn't mean I shouldn't be nice."

She glared at him, already feeling her canines growing. 'Stupid anger issues,' she though.

"Maxy, I had to, I was the leader and you wouldn't obey. If I didn't what kind of leader would I be?"

"One that didn't hurt little kids." She said under her breath.

"Max." he sighed.

He walked over and over whelmed by his curiosity he pushed her hair back to see the scar, or really scars. He had to see if they really were there. Max flinched away of course. However Max could see the hurt look in his eyes as he traced the longest and deepest scar.

"I'm sorry Max, I really am. I didn't think it would do that. Just like you, my animal self just can come out when not controlled."

Max began to blush at his closeness and the fact he was still touching her. Yes this is just like the Sohmas and she had always secretly like Kiro. No one knew, not even herself. But now that she was older she looked back and remembered those days. She really had like him in a more than a friend kind of way.

"Max!" Someone yelled from from outside the library. 'Was it really that late in the day already?' Max randomly though.

Sammy burst through the door. Kiro immediately stepped back from Max and looked away with a blush of his own. Sammy smirked knowing Kiro always had a soft spot for her friend.

"Max, Lightning here!"

Max's whole face lit up as if it was Christmas day and her birthday in one.

"He's here early!" Was all that could be heard as she raced outside.

"Funny how she finds her way around when something like that come up." Kiro sighed.

"She got lost again didn't she?"

Kiro nodded as they followed Max outside.

"She's hopeless." Sammy sighed.

When they made it outside they saw Max hugging a massive Tennessee walking, Quarter Horse and Pinto mix. He was a dark chocolate color with white stockings, hindquarters and a medium sized spot on his right shoulder. Even his mane and tail had bits of white mixed into the chocolaty blackness.

"Sammy, Emma, meet Lightning's Fire. My baby!" She said hugging the monster. Kiro noticed he was left out so he decided it was time for him to disappear.

"Max...hes HUGE!" Sammy pointed out. "You's barely five foot four, how do you manage him?"

"Lot's of training and bonding."

"He looks so cute in all that travel stuff!" Emma squealed. The two girls turned in astonishment, that was way out of character for Emma. The squealing part anyways. Emma ignored them and continued petting him in between the ears.

"Well, who wants to help me take them off?" Max asked eyeing the different colored blue travel gear. it was really padding for the horse so he wouldn't get hurt in the trailer.

* * *

"C'mon boy lets go meet your new buddies!" Max exclaimed once she had tended to him.

First was Sammy's horse. A sunset colored stallion named Dakota. He was palomino and had white stocking and a pale pink muzzle and a pure white mane and tail. Next was Emma's. He was a white dappled stallion named Quiggly. he was a quarter horse and great for barrel racing. Even though they were stallions and very territorial Lightning's huge features quickly established him king of the small herd. The family all had horses, mares, gelding, and stallions alike. Out of all of them Kiro's Arabian mare was the meanest of the bunch and was only other she got along with was Wesley's old thorough bred gelding.

Once she had Lighting settled into his new home and made sure he would behave she followed her cousins inside for homework. Well really Sammy and Max were the only one with homework, Emma was just there to help.


	5. Chapter 5

**Lol another update! i'm just on a role. This will be my last today, but hey! It's two chaps combined so give me a break! I think I did quiet well.**

**Disclaimer: I own my OC's nothing more...**

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For the next couple of weeks it was mostly everyone getting used to the other and becoming friends. Max rode her horse, practising for up coming competitions and did her homework. Well that last one was done under her cousin's watchful eye, Max wouldn't do it if left up to her. Well she would do everything but her math. Max went to school and didn't ditch like a good little girl. Even attempted to pay attention in class!

Now, its just weeks before thanksgiving in America. It should be a happy occasion, her American side of the family celebrated it. You know her parents and brothers. However instead of being happy she was mopey. She really missed her mom and was homesick.

"Hey guess what I heard!" Sammy said in a singsong voice.

"What." Max grumbled tiredly. She lazily looked up at Sammy.

"Cleo and Lane are coming!" She exclaimed as Max nearly choked on her water.

"My mom's comming! but she never leaves the ocean! And dad's just like her, after all they are-"

"Max!" Sammy said wide-eyed. She'd almost exposed them in her rambling!

"What! I was going to say she studies dolphins." Max easily covered up her mistake. "She loves them and the ocean." Besides it wasn't a lie, she really did love dolphins and the ocean. Still Kyo looked at he suspiciously.

"Oh yeah! You guys want to come to Max's compition? I'm going to join it as well. Even Cody might!"

"I thought he was too young? At least for ours."

"Max, he's thirteen. He's old enough, and besides he and his pony are eager to ride in it."

"Yeah, his horse is so puny and loves to pick fights with my ginormous horse." Max said laughing at the memory of the latest thing the pony had done.

"We'd be happy to go!" Tohru smiled. "Right guys?"

"Sure, nothin' better to do." Kyo sighed.

"Yay!" Kyo and Max were becoming great friends, so most weren't surprised when she hugged Kyo in her excitement. Most being Hana and Uo. The others stared in astonishment and Sammy was totally freaking out. Max could feel Sammy's eyes throwing daggers at her.

"And on that note I have to go turn in a book with Sammy, its overdue." Max said with a smile as Sammy grabbed her arm harshly and dragged her off.

They raced to the bushes. It was the designated spot Max went to when her anger got the best of her. Minutes past and nothing happened.

"Ok, I know I should be a wolf right now."

"Weird..." Sammy though aloud.

"Cool! I hugged a guy and didn't turn into a wolf!" Max said happily. Then gasped as a thought came to her, "Sammy, we have to keep this to ourselves! I'm pretty sure Kiro won't be happy about this. Either way he'll get mad at me for hugging a guy."

"Yeah, well keeping things from him aren't going to help either!"

"So? What he doesn't know what hurt'im."

Conveniently the bell rang.

"Let's just get to class." Sammy growled in irritation.

* * *

The rest of the weeks went by in a blur and Saturday came like cold water to the face. Well That's what Max felt like when she woke up, she was so nervous it wasn't even funny.

"Hey big boy, ready for the competition? We'll have Dakota and Thunder too. You remember him right? the little pony who won't leave you alone."

Thunder was a barb horse and was a horse full of spirit. He was a gelding but still acted like an unruly stallion.

"Well doesn't he look handsome." A familiar voice said.

"Mom?" Max squeaked out. She turned to see the curly haired women in front of her with excitement in her eyes.

"You have no idea how much I miss the ocean right now."

"Of course. What's a dolphin to do without the big blue?" Max laughed.

"How's the monster?"

"He's for his big day, aren't you boy?"

"I hear Sammy and Cody are going to compete too."

" you in the stand?"

"Wouldn't miss it. Now hurry up and get him loaded." he mom said as she hugged her and wished her good luck. "I have to go talk with Kiro now."

* * *

At the compition she sat mopeing about by lightning. Kyo hadn't shown up yet.

"Don't worry Max they-"

"Max!" Tohru yelled from the front of the stable.

"Told ya'!"

"Sorry we took so long miss Aultman, we didn't miss anything did we?" Yuki asked in his kinda voice.

"Nope!" Max replied with a smile. She looked at the other additions to the Sohma group. It was a girl about thirteen maybe and a boy about twelve. While the little girl looked around in awe the boy looked pissed off.

"This is Kisa and Hiro Sohma." Tohru said noticing her looking at the two.

"Max!" A boy yelled running up the aisle with a panicked look he had chocolate brown hair and eyes. "I'm about to go up and Thunder's being a pain!"

"What do you mean he's acting up?"

"He's refusing the bit!"

"OK, calm down Cody, I'll go set him straight." Max said and rushed over to Thunder's stall.

Everyone followed behind the two. When they arrived they saw a girl about Hiro's age trying to calm the horse down. The girl had long snow white hair that was half up in a clip with a tiny seal on it. Hey big icey blue eyes were wide with concern a she comforted the horse.

"Excuse me Tayler, can I see the bridle?"

She walked into the stall with a confident look. Thunder freaked as I forcibly entered his invisible bubble.

"OK butthead, this is going on you one way or anther." She growled. About this time John had walked up.

"Max,why don't I handle this?" He said walking to the stall door. He immediately raised his hands in surrender as she glared daggers at him.

When all else failed in trying to put the stupid bridle on a thought came to her. She dug into her pocket and came out with a small zip locked bag. She turned her back to the horse and fished out a couple pears, they were lightning's favorite. Thunder curiously nipped at her shirt. She turned back with an evil grin.

"Hey Thunder, look what I have." She said holding the slices of pears just within eye sight. He snorted and stomped his foot. "You know what I want, so if you want these-" She dangled them in front of the horse "-then you have to listen to me."

Within minutes the bribe had worked and she had him fully tacked up in no time. And yes he got his pears, she always kept to her word with animals.

"See, it's easy if you know what to do." She said proudly and patting Thunder on his white neck. John looked at her with disappointment as she handed the reins to Cody.

"John, you and I both know Thunder is just like Lighting and has to be bribed into anything." She said defending herself.

"And now Thundering Storm and Cody Aultman!" The announcer said.

"Thank you Maxy!" Cody said hugging her. He then hurriedly lead his horse out where he climbed up and trotted to the starting point.

"I'm next. guess I better get Dakota ready."

"We should probably get going to the stands with Shigure." Tohru said but turned back to Max, "I'd really like to meet Lightning though."

John ended up leading Hiro and Kisa to the stands while Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo followed Max back to Lightning so they could officaily meet.

"Lightning I have some people here for you to meet." Max smiled. He snorted and sized them up.

"He's so big!" Tohru exclaimed. "Can I pet him?"

"Sure, he shouldn't bite as long as I'm here."

"Dakota's Pride and Samantha Aultman!" The announcer said.

"Good luck Sammy!" Max yelled to Sammy who was on the other side of the stable leading Dakota out. Max then was suddenly reminded of Harry Potter, you know before he was sent out to face his big monster of a dragon.

"We should probably go back to the stands now. Good luck Max!" Tohru said as she and Yuki walked out.

Kyo stood for a moment longer, petting the massive horse.**{Of course we all know it was an excuse to stay with Max but shh! don't tell Max or Kyo will be after ya!}**After a moment he looked up at Max and looked as if he was about to say something, before he could Cody walked in. he had a very sad look on his face.

"Cody?" Max asked a bit cautiously.

"I knocked down an obstacles!" He cried. She walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"You still did better than Lightning and I. We were the laughing stock of the competition when we finished." Max said with a smile.

That cheered him up. Max turned to lead Lightning out of his stall only to find Kyo had disappeared. She was a bit disappointed. Now it's bug her all day wondering what he was going to say.

* * *

The anouncer proudly anounced Sammy's victory as her horse pranced out of the arena. They'd had a speedy run and a perfect score, tough to beat for sure.

"That's going to be tough."

Lightning snorted in agreement.

"And now all the way from a small town in America, Maxine Aultman and her horse, Lightning Fire!" He announced then chuckled into the microphone. "It seems today is all about family rivalry. Hate to go home with that family knowing only one will win."

"Haha very funny." Max said in annoyance as she climbed up on Lightning.

As soon as she entered the crowd roared and birds fluttered in her stomach. Yup, birds. She could here her American fans root her on in english as Lightning galloped around the arena once and then slowed to a smooth lope. he cleared the first obstacle with flying colors.

They trotted the next few jumps and turned corners perfectly. The last jump was coming up fast and all wondered if she'd gallop the rest. She flew over the double jump and then the water one. As soon as Lighting's back hooves toughed the ground he freely launched into a gallop and gained as much speed as he could before the jump. He was off a bit as he leaped and his back hoof tapped the rail, almost knocking it over. She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding as they took one last lap around the arena to slow their pace.

"It looks like it was a close call for Maxine! But unfortunatly it just wasn't enough. Samantha Aultman wins by one point!"

"It's OK boy." She told Lightning once they left the arena. He let out a sigh. "Sammy always was the better rider." She said with a smile. "Besides, think of all the trophies and ribbons we have."

With a comforting pat on the neck she led him back to the stall where she untacked him and brush him.

* * *

**Ok so origanly Max won the compition, it just sounded better if she lost. Don't know why just did. After all she's a top competitor in America, well what if her cousin was just a little better than her? plus the home advantage. Besides she get's second place.**

**oh hey! this is edited in because I don't want to add a new chapter just fo this.**  
**let's go threw all the aultmans we've met so far! I'll probably even put up the whole paper at the end of the story.**

**Max-wolf  
James-lion**  
**Cleo-dolphin  
Hayden-coyote**  
**Wesley-owl  
John-platypus {lol i so forgot i put that}**  
**Kiro-Dragon  
Sammy-cheetah**  
**Cody-otter  
Emma-fox**  
**Taylor-artic seal**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! Another update :D  
Thanks again for the reviews MellowDeathNoteLover and thank you for you review SerenityGreyWolf!  
And don't worry serenitygreywolf it'll come! lol, it took me FOREVER to finnish this. And reall since I wrote it so long ago I'm adding so much new stuff it's not even funny lol. I actually like my other story better and it's a Yuki and Oc paring that will be put up after this story. It's only Yuki because my friend wanted Kyo instead. I'm not sure if its totally OOC and even in this story I'm not sure, so if I am sorry!**

**Anywho! {My best friend Salion220 has all rights to that word! XD} here's the story!**

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothin. Well sept my characters and story line. **

* * *

It all turned out OK, Sammy got first place Max got second and Cody third. In fact it was going great...until Max was leading Lightning out to the trailer. There Kiro was, leaning against the trailer. Now usually it'd be alright, but Kyo was with her. He's offered to help with loading Lightning up, obviously Max accepted. It was more of a few reasons, one was Lightning could be a handful when he wanted to and that was the excuse she gave Kyo. The other was that she was really starting to like him, and not just as a friend.

As they approached the trailer Max seemed to cower beside her horse and look anywhere but Kiro. Lightning pinned his ears back and shook his head, not at all liking his human's sudden mood change. Even Kyo seemed to notice it, making him wonder who the older boy was.

"Sorry you didn't win Maxy." Kiro said with a concerned smile. Max couldn't belive he was concerned about her, she felt she'd had enough wins.

"It's not such a big deal." She said flatly. She didn't like the way Kiro was eyeing Kyo.

The next she knew all hell broke loose when the creepy guy from her first day of school showed up with a pale faced Yuki and Tohru. In fact Tohru looked very scared at the moment. the two had a stare off for a moment and the tension in the air made Lightning fidget and stomp his hoof in annoyance. Especially when Max noticed the dragon's canines grow and horns become visible on his head. He gave out a low menacing growl as his eyes widened, apparently he'd just figured something out and he did not like it one bit.

"K-Kyo...could you help me get Lightning into the trailer..." Max squeaked out as Lightning eyed Kyo as if he were a snake.

"No. He will go straight back from where he came from. All of you." He half growled out. he was shaking from his anger. Last Max had seen him this way was when she'd REALLY pissed him off and he didn't want to transform. And yet he'd just ordered something, and well, you know Max.

She raised her head defiantly and tugged on Lightning's lead rope, all the while demanding that Kyo came with her. She purposefully glared up at Kiro as poor Kyo looked as if he wanted to hightail it out of there. Once inside it was scary quiet, like the calm before the storm type quiet. After all a very pissed off dragon stood just outside the trailer.

"What exactly is going on?" Kyo asked quietly.

"All I can say is that there is something about the friend of yours that Kiro really hates." She began to have a funny thought. It was like wolves, in a way. like when one family met another. Apparently her mind was very slow in this calculation because it wasn't until Kyo's next comment that she truly realized what had just happened.

"That's not a friend." he said with a glare outside. "That's the idiot who's head of my family."

And it went down hill from there. She felt as if cold water had just been poured in her. And, of course, Lightning just bit Kyo in all this mood changing, so Kyo didn't see the look on Max's face. She was remembering that day she'd hugged him and she didn't turn. He was from the zodiac, the family she'd been brought up to hate.

"Oh snap." She gasped and looked wide eyed at Kyo who happened to be muttering a stream of cuss words at her horse. Later she'd probably laugh at the scene of how Lightning had bitten him, barely broke the skin, and yet he was freaking out as if he had never been bitten.

He looked to her as if he suddenly felt her glare. "What?" He asked irritably.

"Your family is the zodiac family!" She replied with a growl. Hate brought down through generations blinding her from the fact that Kyo was nothing like they described them being.

She gave a very wolfish growl that seemed impossible to ever come from a human. he horse uneasily shifted and the other's who had already been loaded up neighed nervously. There was a poof and in the midst of silver and blue black mist **{I like mist better than smoke! XD}** stood a black blue wolf with teeth bared and glaring at him.

Kyo ran out of the trailer with a yell **{I'd always pictured this part very cartoony, like running out with dust behind him.}**as Max chased him. She didn't stop until he stood with his family and she was a good distance from them. She was still low to the ground with a fiery glare and teeth snapping as she thought just how bad it'd be to bite them. She wasn't exactly thinking her normal and much more human thoughts.

"Calm down Maxine." Kiro said. She'd forgotten he was there. He walked up to her and put a hand on her head, as he did her features visibly changed to a calm and sad look as she over came her hate. Or was it really hers? She had no true reason to hate them, well as a person herself. Stupid ancestral family.

In that moment a silent compromise was made between the two glaring young men. Neither family would come near the other. Neither would speak or make any contact what so ever. They would forever hate each other because both families had always hated each other and apparently no one wanted reach out to forgive and forget. **{Wow these people know how to hold a grudge.}**The Zodiac head left with only one cold and very bone chilling look towards me. The rest followed like little sheep following their shepherd. Only Tohru looked sorrowfully at the two.

Max turned away with growl at the stupidity of how the world was. She also knew shd was in big trouble for not listening to Kiro. But when she looked up at Kiro with a pitiful look she saw he looked...proud? All this tension must have finally gotten to her, surely he could be freakin' proud of her!

"C'mon, why don't you ride with me." kiro sighed, his shap canines and horns had disappeared. Max ran back into the trailer to transform.

* * *

"Looks like I'll have to talk to your brother and Sammy." Kiro said lazily with a sideways glance her way. His silvery blue green eyes were now back to their usual calmness.

"Hayden and James never really talked to Sammy just went along with it because I made her." He looked questioningly at her, after all this was Sammy we were talking about, she wouldn't do anything she really didn't want to do in the first place. Not unless you could convince her or someone was in a lot of trouble.

"Remember that day I got really pissed off and turned into a wolf? Well it's because my first day Yuki's stupid fan club threatened me. Been hanging out with'em ever since." Amazingly he understood. Then again, this was Max. "I didn't know that they were the zodiac though! And I'm sorry I disobeyed you." Max wasn't looking at Kiro, instead she trained her eyes on the scenery on the passenger side of the window.

"Believe me Max, I pretty sure you can't be that good of an actor." He chuckled a bit. "Seriously, you should have seen his face!"

He looked at Max and he glare and coughed to cover his turned all serious again. "Now we just have to figure out what to do about it."

"Ha, your not keeping me cooped up in that house. If you thought I was bad as a kid, then you have another thing commin' for ya'."

"Of course not. I like the way the house looks right now. For now I'll just have to put my trust into you four to leave them alone." Max rolled her eyes. "I'm serious Maxine. I can trust Hayden, Sammy, and James. Your the rebel of the family. It's amazing, your the only wolf who has ever been this disobedient. Last generation was practically the complete opposite of you."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She said flatly. Then nearly laughed at the confused face he wore.

"Seriously...It's mind boggling." **{lol mind bottling...where your minds in a bottle. XD}**

Soon they were driving up the long drive way and found all the horses had been put up and taken care of. Apparently Kiro had driven uncharacteristically slow.

"How about a ride?" He asked innocently.

Something, probably wolf instincts, told her that this was a bad idea. And yet no did not come out. "Fine, but don't forget Lightning just came out of a competition."

* * *

**No new people have been introduced, but the next chap is either going to be a disaster or really . Although...I have to say {Spoiler!} it is quite the disaster for Kiro either way.**

**REVIEW! Oo**


	7. Chapter 7

**Another update in one day! yay! **

* * *

The whole time they rode to the lake Max thought about earlier that day. How could she NOT talk to her friends? Especially Kyo! they'd gotten really close despite the fact they were constantly arguing. It was so annoying that this was all because some stupid animals couldn't get along. What's up with that?

By the time they made it to the lake she came to the conclusion that staying away from the Sohmas was near impossible for her to do. She'd have to come up with a way to sneak around the rules and find loop holes.

"Hey Kiro...I uh have homework to go do." She lied, hoping he'd let her go back. She had some planning and thinking to do.

"Should have done it yesterday. Besides you still have Sunday." He'd seen straight through her lie. Although it was a pretty lame excuse, seriously when had she ever willingly gone to do homework?

"C'mon Maxy, Lighting's already tired." He said innocently. Crap her was right! We'd galloped all the way here, Lightning was never one to miss a chance at racing. Especially when it came to his crabby old mare.

Reluctantly she climbed off Lightning and let him drink from the lake with Kiro's mare. Obviously she put them at a distance from each other. She'd been nipping him the whole freakin' way here and he would only put up with so much of it before he nipped back. It wouldn't be a tiny one either.

'Ok...so I'm stuck here...' She thought to herself and through in a glare at Lightning. All the while Kiro was leading her to a willow tree that over looked the small lake. It looked so beautiful! And then it all went down hill as she realized this may go in a very bad direction. For her at least.

"Congrats on getting second." he said.

"Thanks..." she said. 'Ok, wasn't he just feeling bad for me getting second, like, a couple hours ago?' her suspicious thoughts asked.

"And um..." She felt bad for poor Kiro, she'd never seen him look so nervous. 'Ah Crap.' She thought. "I want to sa-"

Kiro was cut off by his horse's scream of fright and then Lighting's challenging one. He'd reared up as a big grizzly bear had come out of the woods.

"Jeez, where's Danni when you need her?" She growled to herself and ran forward to calm her horse as Kiro went to his. "Take Kitten and Lightning out of here!" Yeah...he has an evil white mare called Kitten. Max had always found this quite hilarious.

Max ran forward and poofed to a wolf and attacked it. Although upon a closer look she realized this wasn't just an ordinary bear. It's eyes were too human like. If it wasn't for the fact that Danni had just scared the crap out of her she would have been very thankful for her timing. Actually she was still very thankful. That was one conversation she hadn't ever wanted with Kiro.

"Maxine, I'm the dragon here!" Kiro said, his voice implying that she'd gone crazy.

"No! take him and go!" She demanded vehemently. The two made it look like it was some intense battle that Max was winning, but when a second bear came from the thicket of trees the two looked at each other with fright. This was a VERY huge male bear and either he was after Danni for it being that time of year, or he was defending his territory. Either way he was pissed off at me so it must be the first reason.

Unfortunately Kiro had left with the horses. Foe once he'd listened to her, after all she had looked like she was winning. He just hadn't seen the second bear.

'Of all the times for him to listen to me, he chooses now!' She thought to herself as she desperately looked around for an escape.

She turned on the bear and leaped, seeing no other choice but to stupidly attack the bear. She clawed at his fur with still too big paws, biting, really anything she could. It just wasn't working, his fur was so freakin' think so she was hardly doing any damage. At one point he threw her across the small clearing to the water where she landed on her front paw wrong and let out a yelp as she most likely sprained it.

Danni stood by, helpless to do anything as she watched Max be thrown around. Max was very persistent and kept getting back up. His huge paw swiped at her, barely missing her as she went backwards on her hind feet. She fell onto her back and looked up frightfully as he was about to swipe her with another paw. That's when Danny jumped in to help out a bit.

Max stupidly jumped into the fight once more, and this time her last as he threw her into a tree. it knocked the breath from her, but she got back up. Dizzy and disoriented she looked around. Kiro was flying out of the forest as a dragon. "Someone got bigger..."She muttered to herself as she watched him charge into the chaotic mess.

However, in all this she forgot to keep an eye out on the bear. After all she though Danni was still attacking it. Nope. She turned just in time for him to through her into something hard. After that she blacked out. **{i should stop it right here but its a tad bit too short lol}**

* * *

Max woke up in her room. It was a bit light outside and Kiro was staring out her window like he was when she'd seen him that second day of school.

"W-what happened? Is Lightning OK?" She exclaimed sitting up straight. Then winced as she realized maybe it wasn't such a good idea to do, she felt dizzy like when you stand up too fast. "Oh jeez..." She muttered, laying back down.

"Easy Maxy, Lightning just fine." He said walking over to her. She gave a sigh of relief.

"Is it dusk or dawn?" She asked looking to the window. It was dark blue outside so it could be either or.

"Dusk. Sunday night."

"Are you serious?" She shouted.

"Yup, Garett says no school tomorrow, and quite frankly I agree."

"Bleh."

She earned a questioningly look from Kiro. Usually She'd do anything to not go to school.

"Has Sammy freake dout yet?"

"Yes Sammy has." Sammy said with a dark look in her eye. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" Classic Sammy for you.

"I was thinking..." But she trailed off realizing she hadn't been thinking. Sammy saw this right away.

"Exactly, you WEREN'T thinking! You NEVER think things through!" She half yelled. "You could have died!"

Something seemed to snap in her after all the crap that had gone on that weekend. "Yeah well well who cares what happens to me! If I die the world still turns, it's not going to magically end just because I died. Besides I'm sure you guys would be much happier without the wolf around." She spitefully said, now glaring the floor.

"Max?" Kiro asked as Sammy stormed off.

"Just go away!" She growled in a very menacing voice. She had a dark look to her. Needless to say she was very pissed off.

When he left she sighed and looked around tiredly. She'd no clue where that's come from. Sure she was mad that Sammy didn't realize it had been Danni at first and if Kiro had been the one to attack Danni would have been busted. And it wasn'y like she could have said that in front of Kiro either.

Just perfect. Her life had suddenly become very much like a drama show or something in just one weekend. She had a crush on someone only to find their her family's worst enemy, her childhood friend tried to get into a talk about feelings with her, she almost gets killed by a freakin' bear, and now everyone thinks she's suicidal.

* * *

**Aw poor Kiro. Well, it probably wouldn't have worked out anyways. I actually find myself feeling bad for Max now. After all I would want people to think i was suicidal! :O**

**new people!  
Danni-Bear  
People mentioned! lol he's a funny one, well not as funny as the platypus.  
Geratt-Guinea Pig**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for the review serinitygreywolf! =D**

**Diclaimer:Nothing but my Ocs and story line.**

* * *

The next day Max laid in bed staring at the ceiling with some American music playing. An old mixed CD with alternative, rock, and had long gone to school and she was still a bit annoyed. Not to mention her pains from the bear fight were hurting a lot and she was really sore.

"By the way, no shifting if you can help it." Garrett said walking in with Ibuprofen. Max practically lived on that stuff, well she only took it when head aches came, and that was whenever this weather changed. Something about the air pressure.

"Is Sammy still mad?" She asked quietly.

"Not from what I can tell, just worried like the rest of us."

"I didn't mean what I said. It's not like I want to go kill myself or anything."

It was quiet once more, well as quiet as it can be with Max's CD playing.

"You can go back to school tomorrow, but be careful."

"I will." She promised. "Could you tell Danni to come in?"

It took Danni about thirty minutes to come, she was trying to be a vet so she was like an intern at the pet hospital.

"Maxy?" Danni asked poking her head through Max's door. It took Max a couple minutes to get over the recent hair style Max had. She constantly dyed it different colors, that latest was red, but in a week or so it'd be brown again. Apperently the curse had something about colored contacts and hair dye.

"When Sammy come home you HAVE to tell her why I did that! Everyone thinks I want to kill myself cause I rambled on about nothing while I was mad! I would have told her, but Kiro was in the room and you would have gotten in trouble. Why'd you do it anyways?

"Because I had a feeling he'd try that. And though the zodiacs are supposedly our enemies, I know you were friends with Kyo and the rest." Max hated how she specifically point out Kyo.

"I can't keep anything from you can I?"

"Hey, I'm more than sure Sammy knows. And probably everyone else you hang out with." she said with a smirk. "So are you still going to talk to him?"

It was silent for a moment as Max switched the CDs in her CD player. This time it was All American Rejects. First thing from the shelf so what the heck. She sat back on her bed with a sigh.

"No...It's be best for us all if I didn't."

"Wow that wolf actually listening to the dragon. Better mark it on your calender." Danni joked but really moving toward her calender.

"Hey! Don't put that up there! got put it on Kiro's calender!" Max laughed as Danni stood thoughtfully for a moment.

"It would be funny really..." Danni laughed. Max rolled her eyes at her. "Well, while we're a it we might as well add another thing on the calender."

"Huh?"

"I myself have found someone." She smiled and glanced at the door while lowering her voice. "And he's a zodiac man, and a doctor! He's really cute!"

"Danni!" Max said in astonishment. Besides that fact that her twenty year old cousin was acting like a high school girl, she couldn't believe she was the one going against Kiro's word. "And it begins..." She sighed.

"Hey! last I checked Kisa and Taylor got along, especialy Taylor and Hiro. Not to mention Kisa and Cody." She said with a wink.

"Danni, they haven't seen each other since the competition."

"Yeah, well I'm having fun so sue me."

Not quiet sure if that made sense or not Max shook her head at her. "your the weirdest cousin ever."

"I know, but your the craziest...next to Sammy and Emma."

They laughed and played cards for a while until her pager went off. The animal hospital needed her.

* * *

Sammy came home and ran straight to Max.

"I'm soo sorry Max!"

"Danni told ya'?" Though she probably didn't need to ask, why else would she being saying sorry?

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner that you had a reason. After all how were you supposed to know there would be another?"

They hugged and were friends once more. They hated to fight and get in arguments.

"Now, I have to ask. I now know that Danni like a Sohma...do you?"

"Psh no!" Sammy said a bit too fast and looking anywhere but Max.

"Uh-huh. Who is it!"

"T-The Prince." she muttered.

"Aw! you two would be a cute couple!" Max giggled. Yup tis the season for crazy people. It was, after all, autumn. "So, what's his nickname?"

That got them laughing about the countless memories of naming crushes, even if it was just a little one.

"Well. he doesn't really have one..." Sammy finally said once she was over her laughter.

"Ok, well it will be soda, and not just any, GRAPE soda!" Max said trying to hold back the giggles. She was half joking, but seriously the dude was, like, radiating purple!

"What, why?"

"Because he reminds me of purple. especially with his eyes and grayish hair!"

"Fine, but if mines that, than yours has to be citrus."

Max stuck her tongue out at her but she had to admit, he was very...orangy. Although a better name would probably be Mr. Cat Man with all the cats he attracts. Though it's too obvious.

"Well it's better than Topaz." Max finally said. "I should know, it's my birthstone."

"Speaking of birth, your birthday's next Monday."

"No it ain't!"

"Yes it is!"

"Wow look at the time! I got to go shower!" Max exclaimed rushing out of the room.

"Maxine Emerson! You can't get away that easily! We share the same room!" Sammy yelled evilly as max limped down the hallway.

* * *

The next morning Max was up earlier than usual. So she spontaneously straightened her rats nest of hair and took her time getting ready. And really she didn't like wearing eyeliner much and if she did only on special occasions, she decided, why not?

"Well, hello Maxy."

"Sam."

"How early did you get up?" She asked eyeing Max's straight hair.

"'bout four. my wrist was hurtin' so yeah..."

"Your still tired." She said poking at her. "Your accents coming out in more than one way."

"Great that's all we need a southern speaking American trying to speak Japanese." Hayden said with amusement.

"Oh shut up and eat you cerial before I shove it in your face." She growled.

"A cranky one at that!" James added.

"I hate you all." She sighed as she slumped into a chair.

"Love you too Maxy!" Hayden said in a singsong voice from the sink.

"C'mon Max before you hurtself or the boys."

Max found school torturing. She passed Kyo dozens of times. As result she spoke only English unless she had to speak in class or something like that.

"Sammy, I never knew how much I passed citrus in the hallways until know." Max complained in a whiny voice. Though Sammy was on the verge of giggles as she didn't think Max would actually call gim that.

"I know what you mean." She said after a minute. They were currently on the other side of the school yard at lunch and, of course, speaking English.

"So you hear about Danni's guy? I know you know that she likes one, but what all do you know about him?"

"That he's a doctor. And cute."

Sammy smiled half heartedly. "Yeah...So much of a subject change."

"You know, Danni was surprised when she learned i was actually going to listen to Kiro for once."

"I think Kyo was worried about you." Sammy said out of the blue. "You know when you were gone yesterday? several times he almost came up to me. Even Yuki tried, but I think their leader is much more ruthless and cold hearted."

Suddenly a great idea came to Max. The cheetah eyed the wolf as she wondered just how mch trouble the wolf was about to get her into.

"Hey Sammy...Neither head of the houses want us talking to the other. They said nothing about Tohru, Hana, and Uo. Besides, Hana and Uo anything about either of us I'm guess."

"Max, I love your trickster mind you have!"

While still keeping a distance from the zodiac boys, Sammy yelled for Tohru.

"I thought we couldn't talk to you two?"

"Maxy's little mind here figured out that they said nothing about you, Hana and Uo."

"So we can talk to you, with them over hearing, technicly it's not our fault who hears." Max pipped up, trying to ignore the fact the Sammy just called her mind little.

"So max, what did happen to you?" Tohru asked, dieing to know.

"Oh...I uh...fell."

"She got in a fight with a bear." Sammy's flat voice provided since the other two girls weren't near. "And then twisted her wrist and sprang her ankle. My brother told her to stay home."

"Which by the way Tohru, the doctor of the Sohma family, can you ask him if her, oh I don't know, likes a girl named Danni?" Max asked with a smirk. "Apparently the Bear had disobeyed for once. usually it's me, the wolf, but here lately a lot of us are breaking rules."

"So what's Sammy?"

"Cheetah." Sammy said proudly. "And James is the Lion and Hayden's the Coyote. One of our cousins is the Fox, which is why we're all thankfull that there's only the two pranksters here instead of three."

"Yeah, whatever, Hayden and I are being good."

"hey you guys!" Uo said walking over. "Want to join us?"

"Well we can't speak to the Sohma boys, but we'll be happy to join you three!" Max said suddenly very exited.

So with the three girls in between the Sohmas and Aultmans they had a peaceful lunch talking to their own family and the three girls.


	9. Chapter 9

**Well it's getting close to the end of it now. Maybe a couple more chaps to go, my stapled story says thirteen pgs but the're wide ruled and it's counted like a book, front and back. I'm not so sure how this chap turned out so yeah...enjoy! lol**

**Diclaimer:Nothin but OC's and storyline. {wow i feel like a broken record.}**

* * *

That's how it was for the rest of the week, but by time Max's birthday she couldn't stand it. From the moment she woke up, four again, she was determined to stay friends with Kyo. Not a good sign for a stubborn wolf, something for sure was going to happen today, for the better or worse. She did exactly like she did last week, straightened her hair and wore eyeliner, eyeshadow, etc. and walked down stairs with a determined look.

"Happy birthday Maxy!" Samym said, tackling her in a hug, then stepped back taking another look at her friend. "Uh-oh, I know that look. I don't want to know!" She said, hands up in and walking away.

"Maxy!" Emma yelled gasping for breath as she ran through the door. "Thought I might miss you, happy birthday! You won't get your present until tonight though." She said with a smile.

At school Max still had her determind look.

"I still don't like that look. " Sammy commented in art.

"What?" Max asked as if she was brought out of lala land.

"You've got that look that says your going to get us in trouble. You've had it all morning." After another thought she gasped. "No, you not." She said fearfully.

"Yup. I am. I hate not talking to him! Look at this, I'm drawing a CAT!" She complained showing her picture of a cat with Kyo's hair color. They'd found out what they were from Tohru.

"You know I usaully draw wolves and horses!"

"Good point." She sighed looking at her own picture. Max looked but from the across the table it looked like a blob of grey. Although Sammy found it hilarious, as she was laughing at it. "Like my mousy?"

They both started giggling uncontrollably until the teacher scolded them. They tried their best to shut up before they got detention.

At lunch Max ran over to Kyo. He was turned around and couldn't see her, though Tohru and Sammy eyes her warily. A small voice in her head told her to stop while she was ahead.

"Hi Kyo!" She yelled behind him. The voice was too small for her to pay attention to.

He totally flipped out on her and turned to yell. His was furious! But his anger was quickly defused by the little girl in front of him that was now laughing so hard she was crying.

"Y-your face was PRICELESS!" She said through her giggles.

"Great now we'll never get her to shut up." Sammy sighed from her usual spot on the other side of the three girls.

"Glad she cracked first." He said with a smirk down at the Max, who was on the ground laughing still. It was like a disease as everyone else laughed.

"What?" She asked suddenly sitting up, all laughter gone.

"Well I was about to, seeing as it was your birthday and everything. I was going to give you this." He said holding up a small silver box.

Blinking in confusion she carefully grabbed it and opened it. She quietly gasped at what she found. Inside was a small topaz wolf necklace.

"I thought you might like it. I actually got it before I knew about...well you know. Sammy had swiped your sketch book." he said with a nervous laugh. She could see the light blush he had. Poor Kyo wasn't used to being so nice, she knew that.

"Thank you Kyo!" She exclaimed, blue hazel eyes spakling as they met his Ruby ones. Before he could protest against anything she tackled him in a hug. Then she put the necklace on with a smile that lit up her face.

"And..uh...you should where...um.. eyeliner more o-often." Kyo stuttered out. Max looked wide eyed at him, she hadn't expected that one. With a blush she smiled and walked to sit beside Momiji and Haru, all the while thinking about how un-Kyo like Kyo was acting.

"Yay! Maxy's back!" Momiji said in a cute voice and tackling her in a hug. She actually fell backwards!

"Yup, I'm back!" She said grabbing the boy and giving him a nuggy. He got up and hid behind Haru in fright. "Sorry I've been wanting to do that since last week." She laughed. Although Momiji suddenly realized they might just have another Kyo on their hands.

"Yeah, Max'x back alright." Haru confirmed.

"Oh Sammy!" Max said in a sing song voice. "Come to the Sohma side. It calls to you!" She said with even more laughter.

"Max how much sugar have you had?"

"I haven't had any!" She said and got up to drag Sammy over. As she did though her necklace came out from under her shirt.

"Oh, I see." Sammy smirked knowingly. Max blushed and got an evil twinkle in her eye.

"Oh, Yuki!" She said, still using her sing song voice. "I need help." She pouted.

He looked reluctant to get up as he stood off to the side. She gave him a baggy of cookies she'd brought. Then they stood on the invisible line.

"See the dark side really does have cookies!" Max said with a evil smile. It just so happens they were conveniently in the shade of the trees. As Max said this Yuki awkwardly stood watching the scene.

"Don't worry Yuki, Sammy to the rescue." She sighed.

She walked over to Max's messenger bag and grabbed one of her cousins favorite books.

"Oh, look. Wild Magic."

Max gasped and ran to her book. She glared at Sammy while saying my precious in a funny voice.

"Alright everyone, no sugar for Max." Sammy announced as her cousin put her book back in her bag.

As lunch began to end Max considerably mellowed out. She was still all giddy and hyper, just not to the extreme that she was.

"OK everyone!" Sammy yelled. "Now!"

And to Max's horror they all sang happy birthday. She tried to hide behind Kyo, but he just stepped out of the way. She glared at him. Though she'd never admit it, she didn't mine them singing happy birthday to her.

"Sammy?" She asked just before lunch ended.

"Yeah?"

"I hate you."

"I love you too cuz." She laughed, the others around them joined in.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey! Sorry it's been a while, well it seems it has. And hopefully i can finish this before school starts and my torturous band camp that's after next week. All day of marching and making the band fall on me.**

**Anyways I would have updated sooner but apparently I'm sick with something that no one can figure out what it is. I blame my friend cause she had the exact symptoms I had. They thought it was whooping cough or whatever so I had to go to the hospital with a stupid face mask thing, was starred at the WHOLE FREAKIN TIME and had to get a blood test to make sure I didn't have it since I went to see my nephew be born.  
Then stupid me took the medicine too close together and now I'm having an allergic reaction I guess.  
What I've learned from this experience: I'm stupid and people REALLY need to learn that staring is rude. And I still hate needles.**

**now enough with my complaining, heres the story!  
Thanks for the reviews MelloDeathNoteLover and SerenityGreyWolf**

**I own nothing but my OCs and story**

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In Biology {They have that in japan right? I had English put down at first. Stupid me lol XD} Max found they were doomed. Sure she was talking to him now, but at school only. Now, the teacher assigned them as partners. Their project was was to do a report on an animal and they'd have until January to get it done. With a worried look to Kyo, who was across the room, she opened her science book to the chapter they'd be reading. His look mirrored hers, neither family head would allow it. Well if she explained it was for a grade she might, Kiro always wanted her to have good grades.

All through the rest of the day she formed a plan. What she didn't know was Kiro found out about Danni, the bear thing at least.

"Kiro. you wanted to see me?" Max asked walking into the library. She was startled to find Danni standing awkwardly off to the side.

"Sorry Max, but he was really worried about you."

Confused she looked between the two.

"Danni explained to me why you wouldn't let me help fight. But it's a good thing I did come back." He said, referring to the other bear.

"So...your not mad?"

"No..." He looked at Danni and sighed. "Danni helped me realize certain things."

'Poor Kiro,' Max thought. She couldn't help it, he had such a sad look. But then he smiled with a twinkle in his eye. 'Aw crap.'

"By the way, happy birthday Max. Your lucky we have all the outsiders here, your mom's preparing something-"

"That really isn't important right now." Danni said quickly. Kiro was hinting to something she already knew, her mom usually always planned something. But usually when Kiro had a look that could mirror a trickster's, it wasn't good.

"Um, Kiro, I have a question." Max said. She decided it was a time for a topic change, and it was the perfect time to ask.

"Yes?"

"Um...well...you see...I know you don't want me talking to the zodiac members but..." She had to make it seem like she hated them some how. "The stupid teacher decided to partner me up with the cat."

He looked like he was really thinking about it. But of course he didn't mind the cat like he did the others. If it was some like Yuki then it probably would have been an out right no. After all it was the cat who got tricked and didn't go to the banquet. Still, she figured she needed to add a bit more to it.

"If I don't do thins project then my grade will fall big time." And for the heck of it she put in puppy dog eyes. Nothing like a wolf pulling that trick.

"Fine." He said with a sigh of defeat. "But only for the project, after that no more talking."

"Of course." She said but didn't quiet meet his eye. No way was she going to promise, if she did then she'd have to actually go through with it. Max hated breaking promises.

"Wait, Akito actually agreed to it?" he asked after a moment. He looked very shocked, and really Max would too if Akito agreed.

"Well...no...but I have a feeling they're not even going t ask him." Kiro didn't question. They all had a pretty good idea on how he lead them.

"Thank Kiro!" Max said giving him a hug and running out of the room.

* * *

**Danni's POV**

Danni watched as Max thank Kiro and hug him. She pitied that Dragon because Danni knew he liked her.

"I have a feeling about her and that cat." Kiro said after he was sure Max was out of hearing. "And that same feeling tells me this may be one thing that would make Max not listen to me."

"She'd trying Kiro. She's older and wiser. She listens now." though Danni seriously doubted that wiser part, maybe even the listening too.

"You didn't see her that Saturday. That darn* cat is the problem. He's a zodiac, and that's why she can't like him."

"So your saying you'd allow it if he weren't?"

"Yes..." he didn't seem to happy to be admitting it.

"And that's why I love you Kiro!"Danni said, trying to lighten the conversation up.

"Yeah, don't think I missed you crush either, and Sammy's." Danni's face had the look of a dear in the headlights. 'How'd he find out!' She thought.

"Yes, I know all. Creepy huh?" He smirked. "No actually John and I talk. And with you, well I just noticed you seemed happier. And though all the dragons go against it, I think I should allow this. I also pretty sure the older Aultman members that knew the curse would frown about me thinking this as well."

"But I know some kids, plus me, that would back it up." Danni assured him.

"And what about Akito?He'd finally crack and then I will have made a huge mess." Kiro said now pacing. He was really confused, after all he was only a teenager himself. Not even twenty yet.

"Let's just see how it goes." John said coming out from the shelves of books. Both Kiro and Danni jumped in fright. John laughed at them.

"Oh look, the dragon's scare able!" Danni said over coming her scare easily. "I thought the you knew all?"

Kiro glared at John, who was still laughing.

* * *

**Max's POV**

Max left in a hurry, she couldn't wait until tomorrow! She ate, showered, and did her homework. Yes she willingly did homework. Then she went to be, hoping it was a decent time to. Well for the most part she stared at the ceiling hoping sleep would come. By the time she figured it was hopeless, everyone else had gone to bed and she couldn't read. If she did then Sammy would surely bite her head off. Eventually sleep did come, but of course as fate would have it, she was running late.

"Max what time did you really go to bed?" Sammy asked in the car.

Max yawned once more. "I don't know, I stopped looking at the clock around one thirty."

"Max! You even said you'd go to bed way before any of us! What'd you do the whole time, stare at the ceiling?"

The look on Max's face told Sammy that's eaxactly what she did.

"Your hopeless." She sighed.

"Well you know, it was almost a full moon last night." James pointed out.

"Oh yeah...I hadn't even noticed." Tomorrow she'd be up ALL night. Always happened on every full moon. Hayden just had the urge to sing, which keeps everyone up all night.

"Hey, it could be worse, I heard last generation the wolf changed into a wolf and couldn't change back." Hayden added.

"Wait, Max have you tried turnign into a wolf?" Sammy aked curiously.

"No..."

"What if you don't change at all!"

"That would be cool." She said flatly. She was still half asleep.

At school it was horrible. Her math teacher gave her detention for sleeping in class. She didn't mean to though, she was just really tired. In all of her classes she fell asleep at least for a minute or two. All except in art, she spent that drawing a moon with a black blue night sky and the shadow of a wolf on a cliff howling.

Lunch was a good time for her. She laid under a tree and fell asleep. Well for a couple minutes at least. She was woken up by Kyo when he sat beside her. She was too half asleep to know she cuddled up against him, well she faintly knew, but she hardly acknowledged it. Every one hid their laughed, but they too were worried.

"What's wrong with Max?" Tohru finaly asked. "Is she OK?"

"Yeah, she'd just tired. She couldn't sleep last night." Sammy said nonchalantly. Obviously she wasn't very worried, after all she was used to it by now.

It was quiet once more as everyone wither ate or held a quiet conversation, as not to wake Max up. According to Sammy, no one wanted that. When suddenly Max woke up with a jump, as if she finally remembered something.

"Oh, my gosh!" She exclaimed, totally freaking Kyo out and making everyone around them jump. "Kiro's letting me work with you on the project!"

"Cool." He said, but his eyes showed he was happy to hear that.

"Hey Max, maybe you could com over tomorrow. And you too Sammy!" Tohru said happily.

"I don't know...Maybe...He understand's Max's reason, but what mine?" Sammy asked, looking to Max for help.

"Grr..." She mumbled and was out cold.

"Figures." Sammy said flatly and rolled her eyes.

It was decided that Thursday, the night after the full moon. However that was the least of their worries.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks for the reviews, Catnes03, MelloDeathNoteLover, and SerenityGreyWolf.**

**Sorry it took so long, I'm not even going to begin with my long story of how reality sucks right now, so enjoy the stroy! It's almost over! =D**

**I own nothing but the story line and my characters.**

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By the end of the day Max had a change in her appearance. She didn't notice at all nor feel any different, but Sammy and the others noticed that her eyes had turned wolfish or dog like. Max only noticed when she grew wolf ears. Came as quiet a shock, she was napping on her bed at home when Sammy walked in asking if she'd done her homework yet.

That's when John decided to do some research of the family tree. Especially since she grew a tail as well about an hour later. It was like the same as turning into a wolf, just a poof of smoke and then there was a tail. Now they all sat in the library looking at old books and other family things.

"Max, you might want to come look at this." John said walking over to where she lay in the floor. "It says here that one generation turned into a werewolf every full moon, but that was ten generations ago."

"You can't be serious." Hayden said walking over. "This has to be some crappy joke cause werewolves aren't real."

"Well think about it, we're cursed. I'm willing to believe anything." Danni said from the other side of the room. "And you know what they say, the past repeats itself eventually, maybe Max will be the one to repeat it."

"This can't be good..." Max had a bad feeling ever since they started looking in the library.

"No it's not, especially since it's almost midnight now." James said looking at the clock on top of the mantle of the fire place.

"Max, listen to me, you must spend the night out in the forest." Kiro said, when she didn't move from her spot he walked up to her and pulled her from the ground. "Why are you still here? Go!" It wasn't really a harsh tone, but a stern one.

For once Max did as she was told. She really tried to run, but it was too late. the moon has reached the highest spot in the sky and with a silvery poof she became a wolf the size of a large truck with canines as long and sharp as daggers. Her claws were just as sharp as well. Her fur had turned a darker black, if possible, and one eye turned red. The most terrifying thing was that half of her wanted to run into the forest and kill something and the other half was scared senseless. That same side didn't want her family to be hurt so she took whatever control of her body she had and ran deep into the forest.

All night Max ran, she had the instincts of a wolf now. She hardly gave her family a seconds thought, the only thought that came was the scent of prey or other wolves. At one point she came up to a stream and looked down to lap at the water, but she was startled to find that both her eyes were almost red.

A little freaked she back up from the water, confused and scared. A growl brought her attention to a big wolf. He didn't like her there. She let out a growl as well, but then their noses touched. She had no clue what was going on but she had this odd urge to run with them. The alpha wolf turned and ran, the others fallowing in his wake. With an eerie howl she followed, slowly blacking out. Not entirely though, it was like her mind was got really foggy and the wolf's instincts literally over took her.

She had no control. She watched as he body soared over fallen trees and hunted with the pack. Somehow she knew she left the Aultman land and met in a den in their own territory. A dog howled and she answered it with one of her own. Curious the wolf followed the howl, leaving the pack to sleep off their meal. The next she knew she was snooping around a big house and a man with black hair smoking a cigarette stood on the porch.

"Well hello there." He said to her. Deep down in her foggy mind she knew that he was the dog of the zodiac.

hundreds of years of hate that didn't belong to her bubbled up to the surface. The human part knew this wasn't right and she tried to control but she just couldn't think straight in her foggy state. Instead the wolf took that hate and stood growling in front of the man. It was a scary sight since her muzzle and paws were stained with blood from hunting with the pack. The dog he pet barked and whined.

"So your the wolf causing alarm out here." He said quietly with curiosity in his eyes. In the silence that followed it started to rain, and sprinkle here and there at first, then pouring.

At the first sound of thunder the wolf lunged at the man with a roar of a growl. Just as sudden as her leap her mind cleared from it's fog and she stopped mid leap and fell in a heap of fur. She sat up shaking her head. She wanted to rid those horrible thoughts the wolf wanted her to do.

When she looked up at the sky she saw it was getting lighter now. She looked to the man and heard a familiar voice, Tohru's voice, from inside. With a shocked bark she slowly back up with her tail between her legs.

"Shigure, their at it again." Tohru said as an argument started from inside.

"I-is that a wolf?" She asked as she Shigure nodded. "It's eyes...it has one red eye."

'I still have a red eye!' She whined. She stood watching them as they watched her. When Kyo flew through the wall she hightailed it out of there, ignoring the rain that soaked through her fur.

Unfortunately she was lost. She had no clue how to get home. Worse she was wet and cold. And the wolf pack from last night seemed to have disappeared too. Suddenly she realized she had something around her neck. Amazingly the topaz wolf charm that was on a black leather necklace had survived the night as well. She thought it would be lost for days since she grew so big, but it seemed unfazed.

It wasn't until around the time school was over that she finally went for help. the only place she could, the house she'd been running into countless times the whole day, thew Sohma's house. So she waited until everyone but Tohru wasn't home, which is quiet hard to do, and she trotted onto the porch. She let out a bark and lightly scratched the door.

"H-hello?" tohur asked, then looked down and nearly screamed.

"Tohru, don't scream!" he barked.

"Max?" She gasped. "Was that you this morning?"

"Yes..." Max whined looking down."For some reason an unwanted gift was given to me."

"Max everyone's worried about you. Sammy has everyone out looking for you, but Shigure told me to stay here."

'Smart guy.' She thought. "I didn't mean to worry anyone."

"Well how about you come in and you can shower. But my cloths are washing, so you'll have to use Kyo's. I don't think you'll fit Yuki's. Not to mention I doubt Kyo would mind much."

If Max wasn't a wolf she probably would have blushed. She took Tohru's offer, er, well demand, and took a shower. Then she was given a blue hoodie and brown cargo pants. She drank some tea and before she knew it she was asleep on the floor by her tea. Since Tohru couldn't pick her up she just put a blanket on her, which she snuggled up to.


	12. Chapter 12

**I don't know how well written this chapter is but I typed it up anyways. Who knows when the next I'd be able to update it, so please tell me how well I did for future reference in writting my stories.**

**As always I own nothing but my own characters and storyline.**

* * *

The next Max knew she woke up in Tohru's bed, well she thought. It was pink, so unless someone wanted to come out of the closet and say their gay, then it was Tohru's room. Of course the picture of her mom could have been a give away too.

She yawned and stratched, then wondered how she got up here. That's when she noticed a book on the bed. It was titled Wolf.

"Wow, bet it took them forever to figure that title out." She sarcastically said aloud. As she picked it up she saw the post it that said chapter two on it. So like anyone would do she flipped to chapter two.

As she read she found that on a wolf's sixteenth or seventeenth birthday they'd either get a wanted or unwanted power. The power ranged from no changing for the day and night, all the way to her problem, werewolf. Only she didn't get the full werewolf like some others did. Some actually got the two legged monster with no control. Though it warned that it could happen over the years.

"Well doesn't that just sound like some disease." Her sarcastic voice rang out again. At least She knew what was going on now.

She set the book back down and walked over to the door, wondering just how worried they were. With a deep breath she walked downstairs, fiddling with her faithful necklace the whole time. She was amazed she was able to be quiet the whole time.

"Max!" Sammy yelped standing up. "I thought you got hurt!"

Sammy practically tackled her in a hug. In the room was also James and Hayden talking to Yuki, Tohru, and Sigure. Kyo was missing. She also found Danni, momiji and Haru was there, even Hatori was. She felt happy seeing that he sat next to Danni, of course that didn't mean anything, but there was still hope!

"Ok Max, I'm taking Garett's place since he's not here." Hatori said as he checked up her to make she everything was normal.

After about thirty minutes she was announced OK and she went to go sit by, well everyone was busy talking so she didn't know where to sit. Sammy was talking to Yuki, it was obvious he was starting to like her. Danni was talking to Hatori, and the twins talked with Shigure and Tohru and the other two boys. But where was Kyo?

"He's up on the roof." Sammy provided when Max awkwardly sat beside her.

"Thanks!" Max said quietly and slipped out unnoticed. Well in their own way everyone probably did notice how she slipped from the room because people are nosy like that.

* * *

Outside it was still a bit damp and cold, a sign winter was on it's way. She awkwardly climbed the ladder and made it to the roof just int ime to almost slip. Max let out a squeak as she help on tightly. Wolves and hieghts just didn't go together.

"Max?" She heard Kyo ask.

"Yeah?" She squeaked again trying to think of a way either down or up. She didn't care it it was falling down at this point so long as she was down.

"Need help?" Kyo asked looking down at her and actually had the nerve to laugh at her.

"No!" She blushed. Then looked down once more and was seriously regretting climbing the stupid ladder.

Cautiously she got up on the roof. It seemed like forever but she did it.

"See, Ta-da!" Then, as fate would have it, she slipt and Kyo quickly grabbed her. He fell back with her on top of him, as a result they both blushed.

She took advantage of this moment because she knew any other time and she wouldn't have the guts to do it. She kissed Kyo. He blinked in surprise, but when she quickly went to get away, possibly by jumping off the roof in embarrassment, he grabbed her and kissed her.

Then a commotion under them brought them down to earth. They hurried down stairs to find poor Tohru had fallen on Hayden. Only, he hadn't turned into a coyote.

"Um...Tohru is there somthing you need to explain to us?" Shigue joked.

Wide eyed everyone glance at each other, then to the couple holding hands. Deciding to really test this, Kyo took off his bracelet. Nothing.

"T-the c-curse. It-it's broken..."Yuki stuttered in shock.

Max poofed and turned into a wolf. "Then why am I a wolf right now?"

Hayden turned to a coyote, but as his choice just like Max did.

"Kyo, ever tried to want to be a cat?" Shigure asked.

"No, why the heck would I want that!" He growled. If he could hiss like a cat he probably would have.

"Well try it." Max urged.

With a sigh he poofed into a cat. A cat that was suddenly tackled by a wolf.

"Yay! we can choose ro tun now!" Momiji said happily and hugged Tohru.

"Ann all of it because you two fell in love." Tohru said all starry eyed.

"Wait, I think I know how the curse broke." Hatori anounced. "When the Outsiders and Zodiacs got along, it was broken."

"I like Tohru's idea better." Sammy laughed hugging Max. Of course this meant getting a fuzz ball kitty in her face.

"So eventually we won't change at all?" Kyo asked from on top of Max's head.

"From what I can tell." Hatori confirmed.

"Yay!" momiji happily said from where he was still hugging Tohru. Well until Haru pulled him off.

Everyone laughed and over all had a great time that night. Then night that the curse finally began to lift from the two families.

* * *

Over the next few months Kiro and Akito came to some what of a truce. Those who hated each other soon became friends, of wasn't magical over night and what once was left scars withing the families. Rough spots still stood ahead of them, but they were all on the right road to accepting each other.

Akito finally got better, amazingly in a better mood than usual as well. he almost seemed...nice. He still shunned poor Kyo kyo though. However acceptance doesn't happen over night either.

By the following summer Danni and Hatori anounced they were getting so they could graduate with their boyfriends Sammy and Max went to summer school to skip a grade.

Oddly enough even Hayden and Tohru seemed to have a relationship developing. And Kiro finally got a girl, a regular girl who loved horses and they rode on out on the trails all the time.

It was a good sign that in just a year os so more the curse would be finally lifted from them and no more family feuding. For now.

* * *

**The end!**

**I let everyone have their happy ending. =D  
Here's the Aultmans now.**

**Max-Wolf**  
**James-Lion**  
**Danni-Bear**  
**Cleo-Dolphin**  
**Lane-Crab**  
**John-Platypus**  
**Kiro-Dragon**  
**Wesley-Owl**  
**Sammy-Cheetah**  
**Emma-Fox**  
**Cody-Otter**  
**Troy-Elf**  
**Garett-Guinea Pig**  
**Taylor-Artic Seal**

**And it's putting this down that I think the only person I didn't mention in this story was Troy...**


End file.
